by Margaret Buza

This is how my Grandmother, who was born in Dalj, Croatia, made it and it is a family favorite.  My husband is Polish & likes it with the tomato sauce, but doesn’t object to the sauerkraut version.

• 2 heads of cabbage
• 1½ pounds of lean ground beef
• 1 pound of ground pork
• ¾ cup rice
• 1 egg
• 1 large onion, chopped fine
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 large can sauerkraut (27 oz)
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon paprika

Wash and soak rice for a few minutes and rinse well.  Mix together the meat, onion, rice, egg, salt and pepper and mix well.

Steam the heads of cabbage in boiling water and then let cool in a strainer.  Remove leaves of cabbage and cut out the ribs.  Place some filling en each cabbage leaf and make an envelope type fold and then roll, tucking sides in as you roll to seal the edges.  Place half of the sauerkraut that has been rinsed twice in the bottom of a large pot.  Arrange cabbage rolls over the kraut and cover with remaining sauerkraut.  Cover with cold water and cook on low heat for 2 hours.

I have started to use chicken broth and white wine instead of water and we love the taste.

Make a roux by heating the oil, add flour and stir over medium heat until light brown.  Add paprika and cold water and keep stirring until smooth.  You won’t need more than about 1 cup of water.  Pour roux over cabbage rolls and fold in gently.  Simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes.  Leave standing, covered, for another 10 minutes before serving.

We sometimes made the roux first, and then put the sauerkraut, cabbage rolls, kraut, and the liquids in the pot.  This works well if you are cooking in a heavy pot or in the oven.  In this case, you’d make the roux, add the first portion of kraut, and stir this well, then add the rolls, other kraut and liquids and let it cook slowly.

[Edited by Rose Mary Keller Hughes, Recipe Coordinator]

Last updated: 12/07/2025